Martti Talvela

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Martti Talvela at an exhibition about his career in the early 1970s.

Martti Olavi Talvela (born February 4, 1935 in Hiitola , † July 22, 1989 in Juva ) was a Finnish opera singer ( bass ).

Life

Talvela was trained in Lahti , then in Stockholm . In 1960 he made his debut in Helsinki , from 1961 to 1962 he was engaged at the Stockholm Opera and then moved to the ensemble of the Deutsche Oper Berlin . From 1962 he sang regularly in Bayreuth (also Titurel and Fafner ), as well as some Italian roles (e.g. Grand Inquisitor , Sparafucile ). From 1972 to 1979 he was artistic director of the Savonlinna Opera Festival , which had been revived in 1967.

The opera world will remember him not only for his artistic achievements, but also for his stature (201 centimeters tall and up to 150 kilograms). He had a very voluminous, flexible and above all beautiful voice that enabled him to sing the entire bass section. He was able to convince in lyrical roles ( Sarastro , Fürst Gremin , Pimen ) as well as in dramatic roles ( Boris Godunow , König Marke ). His art of sinking and falling over was also known, for example as a dying Boris, Fasolt or Hunding , whose scenic presence was reminiscent of falling an oak tree.

Shortly before his death, very emaciated, Talvela recorded an expressive recording of Schubert's Winterreise , in which he also demonstrated his skills as a lieder singer for the last time .

Discography (selection)

  • With Herbert von Karajan : Das Rheingold ( Fasolt ), Die Walküre ( Hunding ), Boris Godunow ( Pimen )
  • With Karl Böhm : Tristan and Isolde ( King Marke ), Fidelio ( Don Fernando ), Don Giovanni ( Commander )
  • With Karl Böhm : The Abduction from the Seraglio ( Osmin ) - Gruberova, Grist, Araiza (DVD)
  • With Georg Solti : The Magic Flute ( Sarastro ), The Abduction from the Seraglio ( Osmin ), Don Carlo (Grand Inquisitor), The Flying Dutchman ( Daland )
  • With Hans Knappertsbusch : Parsifal ( Titurel )
  • With James Levine : The Magic Flute ( Sarastro ), Parsifal ( Titurel ),
  • With Jerzy Semkow : Boris Godunow ( Boris Godunow )
  • With Otto Gerdes : Eugen Onegin ( Prince Gremin )
  • With Otto Klemperer : The Flying Dutchman ( Daland )

literature

  • Brockhaus Riemann Musiklexikon, 1995. Volume 4, page 225.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ operafestival.fi: Martti Talvela - the big, strong man of the opera festival ( Memento of the original from September 24, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed on August 23, 2014) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.operafestival.fi
  2. ↑ Talvela as the dying Boris Godunov
personal data
SURNAME Talvela, Martti
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Talvela, Martti Olavi (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Finnish opera singer (bass)
DATE OF BIRTH February 4, 1935
PLACE OF BIRTH Hiitola
DATE OF DEATH July 22, 1989
Place of death Juva